With the iPhone 5c pre-order launch now well underway, the focus of the media turns to that of the iPhone 5s. Of course, we’ll have to wait another week for that, since Apple has opted not to allow advanced purchasing of the handset.

Unless you live in China. While most of the world will have to wait in line to purchase an iPhone 5s on launch day, it appears that folks in the country can take advantage of an advance reservations system beginning September 17…

Apple has been using a reservation system in China for a few years now, as a way of crowd control. In year’s past, scalpers have shown up to Hong Kong iPhone and iPad launches in droves in order to purchase and resell new products to people in non-launch countries at a profit.

The system is fairly simple. Apple takes your identification info and what device you want, and then sets up a time for you to come back and complete the transaction. But it’s particularly noteworthy in this instance, in that it will allow users to essentially “pre-order” an iPhone 5s.

But that Apple is playing favorites in China right now shouldn’t surprise anyone. The company has shown an increasing interest in the marketplace—which is now #1 in the world for smartphones and tablets—and is believed to have just inked a major deal with China Mobile.

At any rate, those wishing to reserve an iPhone 5s in mainland China or Hong Kong can do so via Apple’s online store beginning [assumably] at 12:01 am local time on September 17, with pick-ups starting at 8 am on September 20.